The invention relates to television entertainment systems for providing television programming to consumer homes. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and an apparatus that allows subscribers to order broadcast digital television programming.
Advances in television entertainment have been primarily driven by breakthroughs in technology. In 1939, advances on Vladmir Zworykin's picture tube provided the stimulus for NBC to begin its first regular broadcasts. In 1975, advances in satellite technology provided consumers with increased programming to homes.
In addition to advances in television broadcast technology, government regulatory agencies have placed requirements on the broadcast television industry. In particular, the over-the-air broadcast television networks will soon transition to high definition television (HDTV)—a broadcast digital television standard. These broadcasters may elect to provide a single HDTV digital signal in their allotted bandwidth, with the remaining bandwidth used for standard definition television (SDTV) digital programming. While the broadcast networks may desire to structure some of these channels to include a subscription, or pay-per-view feature, no mechanism currently exists to allow the broadcast networks to control access to their future digital programming. Without an effective authorization and billing system, the broadcast networks will likely not implement pay-per-view programming, thereby reducing programming choices for consumers.
The broadcast networks may also provide the same broadcast programming over existing cable television and digital satellite television systems. As before, the broadcast networks may want to control access to specific channels of their broadcast programming.
The present invention solves these problems so that over-the-air broadcast television services can be expanded to incorporate increased programming choices.